Shattered Earth
by Dinoluvr
Summary: Sequel to 'What is This Feeling'. Toph and Aang managed to save the Fire Nation, but what happens when a new threat looms over the Earth Kingdom? Ba Sing Se is said to be the impenetrable city, but how true could that possibly be? Happiness is always followed by destruction, after all. Taang. Sukka. Zutara. Don't like, don't read. RxR.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Avatar or any of its characters. _

_**Author's Note:**__ So, as the summary suggests, this is a sequel to my fairly popular Taang story, What is This Feeling. I loved writing the original, so when it finally came to a close I thought, 'Ok, now I have to write a sequel.' Today I spent a lot of time plotting out my story line, and I have to admit that I'm pretty excited for this one X3 _

_It could probably be read separately, but I will be referencing the first one quite a bit, simply because it was a big part in their story :)_

_Just so you don't have to hunt it down, here is the link: s/8290914/1/What-is-this-feeling_

_Hope you enjoy the story, and I look forward to reading some of your guy's reviews :D_

* * *

Toph walked away from the war meeting with a quiet yawn, bored after spending a little over three hours discussing safety measure with the generals of the Earth Kingdom, all gathered in the palace located at the heart of Ba Sing Se, also known as the impenetrable city. Just thinking back on the meeting made her tired, with all the boring talk about more bodyguards for the king or more soldiers to guard the walls. It made no difference to her. The only reason she was doing this was because Aang had asked her to take over for him in the meetings while he helped out the city as they remodeled it, and she couldn't even begin to say no to him.

Smiling as she thought of her favorite Airbender, Toph asked one of the various servants to bring her a drink to the balcony, her favorite place within the castle. She loved the feeling of the fresh air, even if she couldn't enjoy the view that Aang swore was almost as beautiful as her. Hah. She couldn't help but laugh at how cheesy it sounded when he had told her that.

After a moment she felt footsteps approaching her, and it took her a moment to realize it was one of the generals from the meeting earlier today. General Ohiyo, if she remembered correctly. He seemed kind, smart, and tactical, everything a good general was supposed to be. Apparently he was also a cousin to the king, but Toph ignored that fact.

"Oh, hello Toph. I didn't realize anyone else was out here." He said cheerfully, walking over to stand a few feet to the left of her as he looked over the city.

Toph smiled in response to his greeting, "Hello, General. I didn't realize anyone else came out here."

Ohiyo chuckled, "I come out here fairly often, the fresh air usually helps me to clear my head when I'm faced with important decisions." He explained, glancing over at her.

Toph nodded, "Understandable. I just find it relaxing after a boring day of meetings and whatnot."

He smiled, "Agreed. Glad I'm not the only one who thinks those stupid 'war' meetings are so boring. We aren't even at war anymore, so I don't see why we even need them. I guess they're just paranoid after what happened in the Fire Nation a few months ago."

Toph froze as he brought up their previous experience, subconsciously clutching the balcony railing even tighter. Neither her nor Aang's wounds had fully healed, and she still had nightmares involving it sometimes. It may have turned out all right in the end, but it had still left her scarred.

Before she could respond to his statement, a familiar set of light footsteps approached them, and Toph's mood instantly lifted as all thoughts of the battle left her mind and she focused on that one person. "Twinkle Toes!" she called excitedly, and she could hear him laugh as he stepped outside.

"Should've known you'd feel me coming from a mile away." He grinned, lightly kissing her on the top of the head as he smiled down at her. "How was the meeting?" he asked with a teasing smirk, raising an eyebrow at her.

She glared up at him playfully, "You know full well how it went. I still can't believe I agreed to this." She sighed, frowning slightly.

Aang chuckled once more, finally noticing the General who was still standing and facing the city, obviously awkward from the look on his face. "I'm sorry; I didn't know you were here. You're one of the generals who are visiting while the remodeling's being done and all of the new policies are being created, right?" he questioned politely, distancing himself from Toph a bit as he switched into professional mode.

Toph huffed quietly as she gave him a tiny glare before turning away, not bothering to listen into whatever conversation they were about to have. "Yes, my name is Ohiyo, it's an honor to meet you, Avatar Aang." He said, shaking Aang's hand before giving a slight bow.

The Airbender shook his head, urging to man to straighten, "Please, just call me Aang." He requested, grinning at the man. Aang than asked about something regarding politics, and Toph completely zoned out, instead focusing on the plethora of footsteps that resided within the palace, scurrying along as if they were ant's in an ant hill.

One set quickly approached them, and Toph mentally groaned as she prepared for another boring guest, fully prepared to head to her quarters and prepare for bed. "I have a message delivery for the Avatar and Miss Toph Bei-Fong." He announced, gaining her attention as she turned to him.

"For us? Thank you." She smiled, accepting the envelope as she peered at it curiously.

Aang peeked over her shoulder, "Well, open it. Let's see what's inside!" He urged, laughing when she lightly elbowed him.

"Oh shut it, Twinkle Toes." She shot back, gently opening up the envelope to find a beautifully crafted invitation on the inside, earning a gasp from Aang.

"I, Fire Lord Zuko, formally request your attendance to join myself and various other friends as my fiancé, Katara, and I finally finalize our relationship. We would love to have you celebrate with us as we experience this exciting time in our lives with you." Aang read aloud, and Toph felt a strange excitement bubble up within her as she realized what those words meant.

"Wow… So Zuko actually decided to tie the knot, I'm happy for him." Aang said with a grin, silently rereading the paper as if he couldn't believe it either.

Toph nodded, "Me too… They make an adorable couple." She smiled, just imagining the scene as it would play out. "Not as cute as Sokka and Suki though, especially since they have little Ayla with them." She giggled, remembering the little girl.

Aang laughed, "Hey, what about us?! I think we're very cute!" He argued, glancing sideways at her.

Toph rolled her eyes, "Sorry, but a blind girl and an awkward, bald monk don't exactly make cutest couple award." She teased with a smirk, unable to see him pout at her words.

Ohiyo bowed briefly to them before he went to head inside, realizing he was no longer welcome in this conversation. "Tell the Fire Lord I wish him well whenever you see him, please." He said with a small smile before heading in, and Aang nodded in answer to his question.

"You think it will be alright to pack up and leave when there's still so much to do?" Toph asked, raising an eyebrow at Aang as he considered her question.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. We'll leave for a few days and then come straight back, nothing bad could happen in a few days, I assure you. They've done fine without us for the past few hundred years, after all." He smiled, taking her hand as he led her to their room to pack up for their coming trip.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: **__Chapter 2 to my sequel, and I have to admit I'm pretty proud of myself :3 A little bit of happiness before everything starts to crash, I must just love tormenting these guys XD Anyway, hope you enjoy the next installment! :)_

_Thanks to everyone who faved and followed as well as the following reviewers: _

_CzarAndrew_

_koryandrs_

_8zBL_

_Sir-Joseph4976_

_Dark Albarn_

_and I'm Solo_

_Thank you all for your reviews and I hope I continue to hear from you! :3_

* * *

Within a few days, Appa had landed in the Fire Nation and both Aang and Toph were quickly pushed to begin preparing for the wedding. Seeing as it was the Fire Lord's wedding, even if it was the second, people from all over the world were coming to witness the spectacle. If the Earth King hadn't been so busy with Ba Sing Se, he probably would've shown as well.

On their second day there, while Toph was helping the decorators by carrying some of the supplies, Katara had come up to her, wondering if she could ask her a question.

Toph put the stuff down and allowed Katara to lead her a little way's off, raising an eyebrow, "What's the question, Sugar Queen?" She asked teasingly, the two of them on much better terms since the battle The Ashes and the return of Azula. Near death experiences can really bring people together, sometimes.

Katara grinned, raising an eyebrow in response, "How would you like to be one of my bridesmaids?" She asked, and Toph's eyes got wide as she realized just what her friend was offering.

"You want me in the wedding? Sure, I would love to be a bridesmaid." She giggled, "As long as I don't have to wear shoes, that is." She added quickly, grinning back at her.

The Waterbender laughed, "No worries, I won't make you wear shoes. Though, I will make you go get fitted for a dress… Like, right now." She added, grabbing Toph's arm before dragging her towards the palace tailors.

Toph squeaked but allowed herself to be dragged, withstanding the next few hours of pins and needles as they fit the red fabric to her. As they worked, Toph began to consider Katara's betrothal necklace, and couldn't help but remember that it was different from before. It was red now, but it still had the Water Tribe symbol etched into it; as if to remind people of wear she came from despite being the new queen of the Fire Nation.

Sokka and Suki soon arrived with Ayla, and brought along news of everything that had happened since the battle. The North had finally stopped sending help, allowing the Southern Tribe to begin helping themselves, and Sokka had been named the honorary chief of the South.

Aang then began to share some of his recent missions, especially the one involving Ba Sing Se. "They've been increasing security measures within the palace after witnessing what has occurred here, and after only a few weeks Toph and I have managed to help the people capture six different criminals who had been bragging about wanting to get rid of the king. Toph was also teaching a select few of the most trusted and elite guards her Metalbending skills and it actually gave me a really good idea." He began , looking excited as this idea bounced around his mind.

"What if we were to build a city somewhere, where people of all tribes could come together and live in peace and harmony? We could create a Metalbending school, so to speak, and have different jobs for each of the different nations." He said, waving his hands as he tried to make the picture he was seeing in his mind.

Sokka considered it as he rubbed his chin, "Sounds interesting… But it'd never work." He dismissed with a shrug, earning a frown from Aang.

"Why wouldn't it?" He demanded, and a few of the others seemed just as confused with Sokka's response.

"It's true that the Nations have been at peace for a while now, but there's still prejudice against some of them. Not to mention that if you had a city with a bunch of different benders, us non-benders would feel even more left out. It just would create unnecessary conflict between the people of each Nation. Not to mention that Metalbending shouldn't be something shared lightly; it could be very dangerous in the hands of someone who wanted to do wrong." He explained simply, looking at Aang apologetically. The others all seemed to see his point, but the Avatar shook his head.

"I still think it would work. I'll just make sure that I work really hard to make everyone equal in my city." He decided, and Zuko smiled.

"I think it's a good idea, and I will help you with the details, if you wanted." He offered, and Aang grinned at him happily.

A bit of a rift formed between Sokka and Aang after their disagreement, and it could even be seen on the wedding day as they were forced to stand beside each other as groomsmen, a tense atmosphere surrounding the two of them.

The wedding itself was beautiful, with Katara wearing a very pretty red dress from what other's had said, with a blue hair clip in her hair for her Tribe. Her father came, rather old by this point but still able to attend his daughter's wedding.

When the vows were exchanged, the people cheered and it was obvious that the Water Tribe's and Fire Nation would be much closer after this ceremony. When it came time to catch the bouquet, Toph was forced into the line with the rest of the unmarried girl's by Suki, glaring at her as she felt the Kyoshi quickly run off.

Katara threw the flowers as high as she could, and Toph wasn't expecting the feeling of them hitting her in the face. Holding them as she rubbed her face, she glared at Katara suspiciously. "You did that on purpose." She accused, pursing her lips.

Katara giggled, quickly shaking her head, "Now why would I want to do that?" She asked, a mischievous glint her eyes.

Toph rolled her own as she gave a quiet sigh, quickly leaving to find her seat beside Aang once more. He blinked at the flowers, "So, you caught it…?" He asked her, seeming surprised.

She lightly hit him in the arm at his comment, crossing her own arms across her chest as she leaned against the chair, "Course I did, what of it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Aang chuckled and scratched his head, seeming a little nervous, "You know what it means to catch the bouquet, right?" He asked, glancing over at her.

Toph blinked, "Uh… It means you get good luck or something… I think…" She answered with uncertainty, searching her mind for the knowledge she knew was there.

Aang shook his head, "No, the person who catches the bouquet is said to be the one who gets married next. So, since you caught it, you should be the one who gets married." He explained, cheeks red as he thanked god she couldn't see.

Toph's face began to burn as those words seeped in, "Oh… Makes sense I suppose." Was all she responded, as she rubbed the back of her neck, smiling nervously at him.

The wedding progressed as usual after that, but both Aang and Toph were slightly more awkward around each other, even if Aang had gotten a brilliant idea from the flowers. Of course, it would take some time to put his plan into action, but he could wait.

The next day, the gang was sitting outside together as they ate lunch, watching the Turtle-Ducks as they played in the pond a little way's away. Sokka and Suki had been whispering about something almost the entire time, and everyone was beginning to grow extremely curious as to what it was, especially since they could pick up only a few words like, "Yes, let's tell them" or "No, let's just wait."

Just before they had finished the meal, Suki finally spoke up, taking a deep breath. "Sokka and I have something to announce to you guys, and I think you will all be really excited to hear it. So, we've both just recently found out that we are going to have another baby." She said, glancing around as she waited for everyone's reaction.

After a moment of stunned silence, cheers of congratulations came from the group as the good news continued to come, making it almost impossible for anyone to remember the events of a few months ago. It seemed to them that nothing else could go wrong.

That's when a courier ran into the garden, breathing heavily as he approached Aang, holding out a letter. "Urgent news for the Avatar regarding the Earth King!" he said between breaths, urging Aang to take the paper.

Confused, Aang took the envelope and quickly opened it, eyes going wide as he gasped at what was written in black and white. "No..." he whispered, holding it out for the other's to see as he tried to comprehend the news himself.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: **__So, this is a relatively long chapter by my standards, and I'm actually very pleased with it :) I made up for the lack of action in the last chapter with this one, I feel, and I hope you guys enjoy it :3 _

_Shoutouts to: _

_8zBL_

_Carrot_

_koryandrs_

_and Guest_

_Thank you guys for leaving a review and I hope you enjoy this next chapter :)_

* * *

As gasps rang up from the group, Toph grit her teeth together as she tried to hold back her frustration, "Uh, Aang? I, uh, can't see, in case you've forgotten." She pointed out, resisting the urge to hit him.

He blinked, seeming to realize this fact for the first time as his mind worked slower than usual, "Oh! Right, I'll go ahead and read it then."

Sounding relatively sheepish, while retaining his somber tone, he began to read, "I write to inform you that my Uncle, Earth King Teijo Taketa, has been assassinated. The performer of these heinous crimes was none other than General Ohiyo Matsuo, who foolishly believed he would gain power that way. As the closest living relative to his highness, I, Akira Taketa, will be crowned as King in four days' time. My Uncle's funeral will be held in two, so I hope the Avatar will be willing to grace us with his presence on these two, very different, occasions."

By the time Toph finished, Toph was in shock. Ohiyo had killed the king? That just didn't make sense. In the time she had known the general, he had never seemed like the type who could kill anyone, and was one of the only generals Toph felt like she could trust. She had just spoken with him shortly before they left, and he had seemed as kind as always. "Are we going to go?" She asked Aang, glancing over at him with a look that basically told him to say yes.

Aang sighed, "I suppose. I was just starting to enjoy myself again, too. I guess that's the life of the Avatar." He said, his smile slightly forced. "We'll head out tomorrow, that way we can get there before the funeral." He added to Toph before looking apologetically at Zuko and Katara. "I'm very sorry that we have to leave so soon after getting here, I wish we didn't have to. Please, don't allow any of this to worry you either. It seemed like a solo effort, so I doubt anything major will come of this."

They didn't seem convinced, but after a quick goodbye Toph and Aang had all of their belongings packed up and were heading towards Ba Sing Se on Appa's back, only the wind making noise as the flew on. Toph was beginning to worry about Aang, knowing he had wanted to stay and visit with everyone for a bit longer, but she didn't really know what to say. If she could tell where she was going, she would have crawled over to where Aang sat and steered Appa; but as it was, Toph really didn't feel like misplacing a hand and tumbling over the side of the air bison.

Only a few moments after Toph had thought about moving, Aang finally spoke up. "Hey, Toph? Would you mind sitting with me?" He asked quietly, glancing back at her as he awaited her answer.

She bit her lip as she imagined falling off of Appa once more, but simply ignored her fear as she nodded, slowly beginning to crawl over to Aang. The Airbender smiled, resisting the urge to laugh as he watched her concentration, deciding it would probably be best to lend her a helping hand. Standing up, he walked over to where she was crawling; gently placing a hand on her shoulder to get her attention, "Need a hand?" He asked with a hint of humor in his tone.

Toph blushed with indignation, not meeting his eyes as she took the hand he offered, clinging to him as he led her to his earlier seat. She continued to hold his arm once they were situated, and he made no move to shrug her off.

When they reached the Earth Kingdom the next day, Toph had fallen asleep with her head on Aang's shoulder, and was gently shaken awake once they had landed. Eagerly jumping to the ground, Toph began to stretch as she felt a group of people approaching.

"Welcome Avatar, Toph Bei Fong, it is an honor to see you both again." Akira, the king's nephew, spoke as he bowed slightly to them both. Toph frowned, realizing he had never acted so mature before. During the meetings, he always acting so haughty, arguing with every little thing. As Toph thought about it, he had never really wanted anything to do with the safety acts. He'd opposed every act the other generals offered, especially when it came to Ohiyo. He'd always wanted to increase military power, or so he'd made it look.

Now he seemed like the image of peace and maturity, which Toph figured she could associate with him becoming King soon. Death and responsibility could change a person sometimes, couldn't it?

Aang bowed, "The honor is mine, Akira Taketa. I hope we have arrived in time, we made the journey as quickly as we could to make it here. I am very sorry for your loss, I know you'll lead the Kingdom well."

Akira smiled at Aang, nodding his head, "Thank you Avatar, and no need to worry. The funeral isn't to start for another hour or so. Please, make yourself at home until then, you can stay in the same room that you had before." He said, gesturing towards the doors as he spoke.

For Toph, the funeral passed in a blur; and she found herself carefully watching every word that Akira said, a strange feeling in her gut whenever she saw him. When she was sitting in bed, not having prepared for sleep yet as she waited for Aang to finish, she found herself wanting to visit Ohiyo. She still couldn't believe that he was guilty, and wanted to hear the story for herself.

Aang soon came out of the bathroom, bald head almost shiny as he finished drying it. "Finally, I was feeling pretty gross after spending all night sitting on Appa. I'm pretty sure I smelled like wet bison all day." He chuckled before noticing her expression, tilting his head in curiosity as he sat down next to her. "What's up?"

Toph glanced over at him, shrugging her shoulders, "Thinking, I suppose…" She answered, making a choice of whether or not she wanted to tell him. "I think I'm gonna take a walk, ok? I'll be back soon, I just need to clear my head." She assured him with a smile, kissing him on the cheek as she tried to look happy.

Aang blinked at her, looking as if he would argue, before he finally conceded, "Alright. Be careful, though. We don't know yet if Ohiyo had supporters, so be on your guard."

Toph nodded, "Don't worry, Twinkle Toes, I'll be fine." She said before quickly leaving, heading straight for the prisons that sat below the palace. She needed to speak with Ohiyo, but she didn't want Aang there with her. He was too gullible sometimes, and she didn't need him intimidating the general.

Toph simply told the guards she wanted to question the prisoner, and they quickly let her in, warning her that she probably wouldn't be able to get anything out of him. Apparently he hadn't spoken since he'd been arrested, and it was only a matter of time before Akira would take the throne and demand his execution.

Toph shivered as she walked past the cells, trying to block out her own memories with prison cells as she hurried towards the one she could feel contained Ohiyo. When she approached, she felt him shift with what could only be surprise, and he spoke with a voice that was raspy from not being used. "Toph? What are you doing here?"

She shrugged in response, crouching next to the cell as she looked in his direction, "I heard the news and decided I had a hard time believing it. So, I came here to get the story for myself."

Ohiyo frowned at this news, looking away with a frown, "I didn't do it. Simple as that." He answered in a mumble, crossing his arms as the chains clinked together.

"Then who did?" She asked, but all she got in return was a shake of his head. Toph frowned at him, "If you didn't do it, then the only way you're gonna be allowed to go free is if you reveal the truth. They're going to kill you otherwise." She pleaded, succeeding in having him look at her.

"I'm sorry, Toph, but I just can't say." He muttered with a sigh, eyes pleading with her to believe him.

Sighing herself, Toph put a hand to her face as she thought, eyes closed tight. "Alright, fine. Can you give me _any _hints to who could've actually done it?" she asked, looking at him once more. She had no reason to believe that Ohiyo was guilty, as Akira would never concede why when they had questioned him earlier that day, so she was just going to have to figure this out on her own.

Ohiyo simply looked at her for a moment before he said, "King's chambers, desk, third drawer down." He said in mere whisper, and Toph could barely catch the words before he turned away from her to face the wall. "No, I can't help you." He said louder, once again speaking in a normal tone of voice.

Surprised, it took Toph a moment to realize she had to play along. Sighing with disappointment, Toph quickly turned away and headed back out of the prison, back towards her own room. Only a few yards away from the prisons entrance, she was stopped by none other than Akira, who seemed shocked to see her.

"Toph? What are you doing out so late? Don't tell me you decided to waste your time trying to talk to that prisoner, the guards already tried it and couldn't get him to talk." He explained with an easy smile, making sure to stop her in the hallway.

Toph returned it with a very small smile, simply being polite as she answered his question, "Yes, well, I didn't have much luck either, it seems. It was merely a last second idea I had while out on my walk, I was just heading back to my room now." She assured him, trying to walk past when he grabbed her arm.

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know." He whispered into her ear before letting her go once more, a chill running down her spine at his words. "Have a good night, Toph." He smirked before turning away, heading in the direction of the prisons.

Resisting the urge to follow him, Toph numbly turned around and headed towards the room, running through the threat in her mind over and over again.

Aang commented on how pale she was when she returned to the room, looking up from reading the book in his hand as he did so. Toph gave him a reassuring smile as she headed for the bathroom to get ready for bed, waving away his remarks, "Don't worry, I'm probably just tired or something." She said, and he seemed to accept it as he returned to his reading.

That whole night, she tossed and turned as Akira's voice filled her nightmares, and she just knew that she had to stop him before he managed to destroy the Earth Kingdom.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: **__Unfortunately, this chapter isn't as long as the previous one, but I'm still pleased with it. Be sure to comment when you read it to let me know what you thought, it'll only take a few seconds to do so, I promise ;) _

_I also appreciate everyone who faved or followed, because you guy's are just as awesome ;3 _

_Shoutouts for the people who reviewed last chapter: _

_Sir-Joseph4976_

_8zBL_

_I'm Solo_

_Splashes-in-the-dark_

_koryandrs_

_dria24567_

_I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! :D_

* * *

The next morning, Toph woke up feeling more exhausted than she had before she had slept, and she genuinely considered staying in bed for the day. Unfortunately, Akira's crowning would be held in only a day's time, and she needed to find a way to prove that he was guilty before that happened.

Aang was already gone, so she was able to think in piece as she changed into her usual clothes, fully prepared to begin a full investigation. Starting with the king's chamber.

Making her way to the room in silence, she tried her hardest to be unseen, while also appearing casual in her walk. She didn't want anyone who saw her to be too suspicious. When she approached the door that marked the king's old room, she was shocked to find a couple of guards stationed in front of the door, and they were a few of the benders that she had taught Metalbending to the last time they were here. "Notsuko? Maya? What are you doing here?" She asked them in surprise, wondering why such elite guards were doing protecting a room. Especially when an 'assassin' was running about.

Maya, a rather tall woman who had gained Toph's respect during the training, smiled at her, "Hello, Master." She greeted with a small bow, making sure to give her the honor she deserved as her teacher. Notsuko quickly followed her lead, though he seemed much more subdued than his female coworker.

Toph smiled in return, though she was still a little confused about their assignments, "So, why aren't you two watching over Akira? Isn't he in danger from… Ohiyo's supporters?" she asked, having to force the name out.

Maya was the one who replied, while Notsuko glanced away, "We've been ordered to guard the room of the king so that no one is allowed to get in. Not even Akira is permitted to enter the room until his crowning. We've done numerous investigations on the room before hand, Akira joining us, and that's when we found Ohiyo's ring near the king. Ever since then we've been stationed to keep anyone else out of the room, just in case someone was looking for the private documents that were found on Ohiyo's person when he was found. Those were Akira's orders, so I assume whatever documents he had on him were important." She explained, giving Toph a clearer story than she had received in days.

Notsuko seemed aggravated by his partners stories, and finally spoke up in a gruff voice, "Maya, that information was not meant to be shared." He reminded her, and she rolled her eyes as she waved away his comments.

"Come on, Notsuko! This is Toph Bei Fong we're speaking to. She's the best Earthbender out there, so if anyone deserves to know what happened it's her. She could probably solve any problem that came her way, she's just that amazing." She exclaimed, and Toph found herself smiling sheepishly at the praise.

"Thank you, Maya, but I was actually wondering something. Would I be able to just take a… Well, not exactly a look at the room, but I was hoping I could feel around a bit." She questioned, looking as innocent as possible.

"No. I'm sorry, Master." Notsuko said quickly, and Maya looked sad as she was forced to agree.

"Our orders were to not let anyone in. Perhaps you will be allowed in once Akira becomes king." She offered, hoping to make Toph feel a little better.

The Earthbender forced herself to remain neutral as she nodded in false understanding, not wanting to tip them off. "Alright then, thanks anyways. Don't forget to keep working on your Metalbending." She added, smiling as she moved to walk off.

"Goodbye, Master!" Maya said with a smile, bowing to Toph as she left. Notsuko merely bowed in response.

Toph seethed with anger as she walked off, knowing that Akira was hiding something in that room. They had to be the private documents that were found on Ohiyo, and they must've been in that drawer the general had brought up.

As she was walking, she soon heard voices as footsteps sounded on the ground, one set of them very faint as they headed towards her. Knowing it was Aang, she quickly moved towards the voices, only to slow down when she recognized who he was talking to.

"Oh, hey Toph! I was wondering when you were gonna wake up." Aang greeted with a grin as he walked straight for her, kissing her quickly on the forehead before turning back to the man who accompanied him. "I was just talking to Akira here about everything that had happened after we left, and I must say I'm pretty impressed with him. I mean, he single-handedly figured out who had done it before capturing Ohiyo! Isn't that amazing?" He asked excitedly, obviously surprised someone of such noble birth could do something like that.

"Oh really? Well I single handedly stopped a horde of the strongest underground Earthbenders in the Earth Kingdom when I was only twelve." She responded, practically glaring at the man that stood before her.

Akira laughed, grinning at Toph with a knowing smile, "Oh, trust me, I wasn't trying to live up to your accomplishments, Toph. I know I could never be that great." He assured her, his tone much more mocking than it was praising. "I was simply trying to avenge my uncle's death, that is all." He told her, his voice thick with false humility.

Aang seemed worried about Toph as he looked down at her, wrapping his arm tightly around her waist, "Are you feeling ok, Toph? It doesn't seem like you to say something like that…" He inquired, closely examining her for any sign of illness.

She shook her head, loosening his grip as she moved away from him. "I'm fine. Akira, I request permission to enter the king's chamber so that I may do my own investigation. I ask that the Avatar accompanies me, as well." She practically ordered, straightening her shoulders as she stared at him.

Akira simply laughed at her again, his tone so condescending that Toph had to fight the urge to punch him as she stood there, "Toph, my dear, I don't have any say in the matter. I can only decide that once I am king, no sooner. You'd have to take your request up with Shogo, I'm sure you recall the head of security since you've worked with him on numerous occasions." He smirked, enjoying the rage and hatred that emanated from Toph as she glared at him.

Of course she remembered Shogo, the man had hated her. Every chance he got to make her look stupid, he did so. She couldn't even count the number of times he had used her blindness to dismiss one of her suggestions. From Akira's amused expression, she would say that he and Shogo had some sort of agreement that went past the normal head of security's position.

"If you're finished _demanding _things of me, the Avatar and I have some more business to discuss. So, if you don't mind…" He trailed off, gesturing for Aang to follow him as he began walking away.

Aang glanced at Toph, pursing his lips as she turned away from him angrily. "Go ahead. I don't care what you do." She grumbled before storming off in the opposite direction, knowing exactly what she needed to do.

"Toph…!" He began before trailing off, sighing as he rubbed his temples. "What has gotten into her?" he muttered, staring after her hopelessly.

Akira shrugged, eyes glinting with contained amusement as he watched her leave as well, "Women." He shrugged, laughing as Aang joined him with much less enthusiasm.

As they walked down the hall, continuing their previous conversation, Akira's eyes met with a passing guard, a simple smile passing between them as they went their separate ways.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: **__Sorry about the late update, my wifi will be down for a little while so I'll only be able to update my when I have internet access. I think this chapter turned out a little bit better than the last one, though that could just be my ego, but I tried to make it as... 'realistic' as possible :) Be sure to let me know what you thought!_

_Last chapter reviewers: _

_Guest_

_Dark Albarn_

_I'm Solo_

_Hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! :D_

* * *

If you thought Toph was going to beg and grovel for Shogo to give her what she wanted, you were wrong. She may have matured enough to where she actually desires to follow the rules, but that didn't mean she was going to humiliate herself for someone she could never bring herself to respect. The man was vile, to put it simply.

As she headed back to the room, going around the long way as she avoided notice from everybody who passed by, she carefully approached the door in a manner that would keep her hidden, sensing four people at the door now. When she could hear their voices, she knew that the shifts were changing and two new guards would be taking over.

From the footsteps and voices, she found that she knew the new guards as previous students as well, also members of the elite guard. With a frown, she was almost positive that Akira had done this to her on purpose, trying to drive her to make them her enemies.

Once the two were alone, it only took her a few moments to leap from her hiding place and use the guards own armor to bind them, making it impossible for them to move and retaliate. "I'm sorry Tomoe, Reiko." She mumbled as she opened the door and bent the metal surrounding them so they would slide into the room, shocked as they stared at their teacher. "Where is the desk?" She demanded, unable to feel it in the room.

Reiko struggled against the metal, looking up at her as he did so, "Toph, I can't help you break the law. Why do this?" He asked, his words begging her to reconsider what she was doing.

Toph gave him a wry smile, "Because, Reiko, I don't want the wrong person to be put behind bars." She answered quietly before turning to Tomoe, who had been sitting there in stunned silence. "Tomoe?"

"In the far left corner of the room, the front of it is facing us." He said without looking at her, looking guilty as Reiko gave him a flabbergasted look.

"What are you doing?! You know our orders!" He growled, struggling harder against his bindings.

Tomoe glared back, "You're so blind, sometimes. Toph is trying to save the Earth Kingdom, not destroy it! Just shut up and let her handle this… This is her home too."

Toph, giving Tomoe a grateful look, ran to where he had said the desk was, arms held out so that she wouldn't accidently run into it. Thinking back on Ohiyo's words, she instantly began to feel around for the third drawer, rummaging through it once she pulled it open. She felt a bunch of random papers before she hit the bottom of the drawer, but something told her that they weren't what Ohiyo had wanted her to obtain.

Feeling towards the back of the drawer, she almost gasped when her sensitive fingertips ran over a groove in the wood, making it so that the bottom could be lifted out. Pulling it up, she felt around into she felt a leather bound book of some kind, a small chord of the same leather keeping it closed.

She was so engrossed in her task of getting the book, she almost didn't notice that Reiko had escaped until a metal disk was shot towards her, the object having been a wrist guard before he had bent it's shape. Toph dodged the blow, feeling around on the desk as she grabbed a metal candle stick, turning it into a spiked weapon as she threw it at him in return. Finding Tomoe, she removed his restraints in hopes that he would help her out, and he didn't disappoint.

The two of them erupted into a full out battle as they tried to overpower each other, Tomoe shouting for Toph to leave as he bashed his metal coated fist into Reiko's face. With a nod, she was gone; heading towards the prisons so that she could give this book to Ohiyo and find out its importance. While she was already an enemy of the law, she might as well bust him out while she was at it. You'd think they would have given him a wooden prison if they didn't want her to destroy it.

When she reached the entrance to the prisons, she tried to look as nonchalant as possible heading in, book tucked under her shirt. Despite her efforts, they still stopped her before she could go in, the one on the right speaking, "I'm sorry, Miss Bei Fong, but we have direct orders from our soon to be king not to let you past this point. At least until he has been made king. He asked us to apologize for the inconvenience this ma-"

Before he had finished his sentence, Toph had made her move and erected slabs of stone to hold them in place, giving a quick apology as she raced past them to the cell she had visited many times before. Ohiyo looked up as he heard her footsteps, shock etched on his face, "Toph…?"

Toph stopped in front of his cell and easily spread the bars of the cell that was holding him, holding out the book as she gave him a hard look. "I got the book, now let's _move_." She ordered, and he didn't pause as he grabbed the book and rushed out of his prison, following her to the doors.

"We need to get this to the elders; they're the ones who crown the king if they deem him worthy. Even if he's managed to buy a few of them, if we present it to the whole assembly we should be able to prove that he's guilty. These are the king's direct orders, stating that Akira would not be permitted to be king… Before he died, he told me that I would be succeeding in his place… Akira was present when this news was shared. We were told the day you left, and it wasn't long before he formed a plan to get rid of us both." Ohiyo explained in a hurry as they passed the guards, still stuck in the rock.

Toph's eyes were wide with shock, amazed that anyone could be that obsessed with the thought of power. When she considered the fact that she had almost been too late, she was forced to shudder at the thought. Tomoe appeared as they ran, and Ohiyo would have attacked him if Toph hadn't intervened, quickly explaining that he was on their side.

When they reached the assembly room where the elders were gathered, they busted in through the doors and instantly froze at the sight before them. Surrounding them were various members of the elite and normal guard, standing directly in front of Akira, Aang, and the elders of the palace.

"Hello Toph, nice to know that we have a traitor in our midst." Akira smirked as he stepped forward, causing Toph to glare at him.

Aang looked hurt as he gazed at her, wanting to believe that this was all just a bad dream. "Toph, why…?" he begged, pleading with her to grin and say it was all some sick joke that she decided to pull.

Toph braced herself, pursing her lips as she held up the book, "This. This is why." She answered, looking directly at Akira as she gave him a tiny smile. "I'd actually like to know why you didn't just destroy these, considering they're perfectly incriminating."

Akira simply gave a lazy smile in response, appearing as though everything had worked out according to his plan. "Yes, why indeed?"


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: **__Here you are, Chapter 6 :) I apologize for the late update again, but I've been really brain dead towards writing lately... Must be 'cause of NaNoWriMo XD Well, whatever, at least I got it updated X3 Hope you enjoy! :3_

_Reviewers: _

_8zBL_

_koryandrs_

_Dark Albarn_

_I'm Solo_

_Paper-Ninja-Star_

_PLL_

_Thanks to each and every one of you! :3_

* * *

Ohiyo seemed just as confused by Akira's calm façade, and a small tug on the back of his mind alerted him to the fact that something was wrong. Glancing at Toph, he could tell that she was beginning to think the same thing.

"Ohiyo, why don't you read this 'perfectly incriminating' passage for us, I would love to hear what it says." He ordered, voice laced with fake enthusiasm.

Glowering at Akira, Ohiyo took the book from Toph and flipped through the book to where he knew the previous king had voiced his worries. Spotting the first few words, he began to read, "I, Teijo Taketa, will now write down my wishes for the succession of the throne. In regards to my nephew, Akira Taketa, I declare that no one shall… challenge… his right… to the throne…?" He read, the last few words in the sentence causing him to pause and reread. "But… This isn't right! It's been changed; I saw the original where it said he didn't want Akira to be king!" As he spoke, his voice rose and he continued to insist his knowledge. From what Toph could feel, he wasn't lying.

"He's telling the truth. I wouldn't be helping him if he wasn't." She swore, looking to Aang for help. He merely looked back, seeming torn as an argument was raged in his mind on whether he believed her or not.

Ohiyo was visibly shaking as he gazed down at the book in his hands, his last hope officially gone. Akira must've hired someone to copy the king's handwriting and they rewrote the entire page. As he thought this, and idea was hatched in his mind as he began to search the page for clues that would tell everyone it was a fake. In only a moment, he had his answer. Grinning widely, he held the book out to the elders and gestured to something that would prove he was right, "Right there, you can see where someone tore out the page and added a new one. They did a good job, but you can still see the difference in the thread used to bind it together." He explained smugly, locking eyes with Akira as he stood across the room.

An elder came forward and took the book before moving to show a few of the others, comparing what he had said with the evidence found. After what seemed like an eternity to Toph and Akira, one of them finally spoke, "What you've said is true, it was tampered with after the king's death. However, we cannot prove that it stated anything differently seeing as we do not have the page to prove… For all we know, Akira never had anything to do with it." They stated, and the two new fugitives could feel their stomachs drop when the words were spoken.

Akira smirked again as someone else entered the room, earning a solute from the guards that were positioned in the room. Toph could feel Tomoe stiffen from behind her, having been completely still and silent up until this point. She could see why, though, when Shogo came into view. He wore an arrogant smile under a head of dark brown hair, green eyes glancing smugly around the room as he approached the king-to-be.

"So, these are our new criminals." He grinned looking directly at Toph as his grin widened, "Hey Toph, long time no see." He winked, and even if Toph couldn't see him, she still got the hit from his tone as she forced herself not to punch him out.

Ohiyo spoke up angrily, "We are not the ones you should be locking up! We're not the murderers here! Why can't you see what's going on right in front of your noses?!" He shouted, earning sympathetic looks from more than a few of the elders.

"I'm sorry, son," One spoke up, coming to rest a hand on his shoulder, "But we have no proof against him… Unlike you. I'm sorry." He finished with a sad smile before turning to Toph, "You, on another note, have disregarded palace laws and forcefully entered restricted areas while assaulted the officers stationed there. You also helped a prisoner escape, causing us to have no other choice but to arrest you as well. I apologize, Toph."

When Toph felt the guards approached them, wooden cuffs in their hands, she began to panic as she immediately located Aang in the room and looked at him pleadingly. "Aang! Please, tell them I'm not lying!" She begged, taking a few steps forward before being stopped. She was fully prepared to knock them away before Aang answered her pleas.

"I'm sorry Toph, but I… I just don't know what to think." He muttered before turning away from her, heading out of the room as he hung his head.

Toph could almost feel her heart shattering into a million pieces, but rather than cry about it she did the next best thing and began to beat up every single person in that room. She refused to be captured again, and she needed some way to vent her emotions that wouldn't make her look as weak as she felt.

Tomoe and Ohiyo immediately joined in, but as soon as Toph realized they were being overpowered, she ordered them to fall back and run towards an exit from the castle. Akira and Shogo were shouting orders to keep them inside the palace at all costs, but they weren't going to be stopped so easy.

A rock hit Toph's shoulder as she ran off, easily dislocating the joint as she grunted in pain. Tomoe and Ohiyo also ended up with a few bruise, the general having a few broken ribs while the guard was beginning to swell up under his eye.

They managed to get out in one piece though, and ran through the streets of the city without any regard to the people there, the guards from the castle following closely behind. When they reached the wall, Toph ordered them to make a hole and go through while she distracted the guards, and they quickly obeyed while she stopped a rock that had been flying towards her.

Sending it back, Toph began to throw her own punches, using her knowledge of street fighting to an advantage as she dodged their blows as they came towards her. Once the other two were through the wall, she stopped the ground once as a cloud of dirt filled the air, blocking everything from view as Toph raced towards the wall and quickly closed it up once she was through.

Panting, they raced off towards a place where they could find shelter, an array of cliffs dotting the area just ahead of them. If they were still followed, they could always continue on. For now, however, they would have to formulate a plan to get rid of Akira, even now that he would become king.

* * *

_**A/N:**__ Feel free to skip this, I just felt like a writing a few of my own thoughts down X3 _

_Just a thought I had while writing this... I kinda wish all of my OC's had fanfiction categories so people could write about them and ship them... I know I'm not that famous, nor that good of a character creator, but I'm sure every writer has thought that at least once... Right? I may or may not have brought this up 'cause I'm starting to ship AkiraxOhiyo... but I'm sure that's just my yaoi fangirl showing X3 Sorry, you can go on with your lives now... XD_

_Oh, and is it bad that I'm starting to hate myself for writing this? XD Cause I am... Mainly just because I'm putting Toph through so much torture that it's making her OOC DX ...I'm a terrible person... ;(_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: **__Taang aangst... Did you expect anything else? XD Alright, so I think some people were a little worried about Aang, and rightfully so, but everything will make sense in this chapter, I promise :3 Ok, maybe not everything, but mostly everything X3 I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and be sure to leave a review :D I'll love you forever :)_

_Reviewers: _

_koryandrs_

_I'm Solo_

_Sir Calvin (a.k.a. Dark Albarn)_

_CzarAndrew (Long time no see :p)_

_There you have it, hope everyone likes this next chapter! :D _

_By the way, I tried to add more humor to this since its been so... Bleh... lately XD Unfortunately, I really have no guarantee that any of you will find it funny XD Well, can't blame me for trying to be funny ;p _

_Side Note: I think I'm starting to think like the writer's of Avatar now, I start out with something happy that makes you feel good about your life until I get to the end and you want to tear your heart out... All before another tiny bit of happiness XD If you're wondering: Yes, I did just watch the LoK season finale. And Yes, I cried like a baby XD_

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Aang sat in his room, head lying on his arm as he considered the days. He wished he could've agreed with Toph, wished he could've proven she was right. Unfortunately, his success required him to remain quiet for just a little while longer. Akira was beginning to trust him, and he hoped that by denying Toph it would solidify his allegiance. So he hoped.

The look on her face when he had spoken to her still haunted him, though, and he prayed that she wouldn't be too upset with him when she found out that it was all part of his larger scheme. Did he suspect Akira from the beginning? Of course he had. He'd known Akira when he had worked at the palace, and the man had always seemed shady to Aang. Now, he just needed the right proof to frame him.

He would've told Toph earlier, he knew she was doing her own investigation, but he also knew that Akira suspected her. If he had been seen roaming around with Toph as she searched, Akira would've zeroed in on him as well. It just worked out better for him not to say anything, despite the pain he now felt from having to watch her get chased by the people he knew he had to stop.

Sitting back in his chair with a sigh, he wished Toph was there so he could talk to her and allow himself to forget his cares for a little while. She always put things into a different light for him, always seemed to help him relax when it seemed like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. I mean, it was, but he was at least able to forget about it.

A knock sounded on his door and he quickly got up to answer, masking his grief behind a look of confusion and anger. He wanted them to think he and Toph were completely over now, didn't he? Therefore he couldn't be too upset at the loss.

When the door slid open, Akira was revealed as he looked at the Avatar with a look that screamed mock concern. Forcing a small smile, Aang greeted the soon-to-be king with a short bow, "Hello, Akira, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he inquired, glancing up at him as he straightened once more.

"I've come to offer my condolences, I never thought Toph wou-" Before the man could finish his sentence, Aang had cut him off.

"Neither did I. What's done is done, however, I don't wish to think about how my own girlfriend was a traitor…" He said tartly, putting enough emphasis on his words to make it believable.

Akira nodded, "That's understandable, I'd probably feel the same way. Why don't we take a little walk?" he offered, giving Aang no choice but to agree.

Toph panted quietly as she heard Ohiyo and Tomoe do the same from beside her, all three of them exhausted after the run towards the nearest cliffs. When they reached it, Toph made a small indent into the cliff-side with her good arm where there were enough natural boulders to help shield them from view, an opening she fully intended to cover whenever she sensed someone approach.

Sitting down with a thud, Toph banged her head against the wall behind her as she tried to dislodge the thoughts that kept bombarding her mind. She had to remain tough while Ohiyo was here, she could cry when this whole thing was over. Now that she thought about it, she really didn't care about this whole thing anymore. Ohiyo was out of jail now, what did it matter if Akira became king? She'd go live in the Fire Nation if she had to, just to get away from it all.

A little voice told her she was wrong, that she should continue to fight against this tyrant, but she couldn't find the strength to agree with it.

"We can't give up." A small voice spoke from the other side of the wall where Ohiyo had sat down, and Toph could only guess that he had garnered her thoughts from the look on her face.

Toph scoffed, turning away from him as she looked towards the back of the miniature cave, "Right, because everything just turned out so well the last time we tried." She answered wryly, and she heard him chuckle in genuine amusement.

"Good point, we have been to hell and back, haven't we? Think of it this way though, if he becomes king, do you really think he's going to be satisfied with that? He's going to use his power to get whatever he wants, when he wants it. Who's to say he won't get rid of the next person to try and stop him? Who's to say it won't be Aang next?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow at her.

Toph frowned, not wanting to admit he was right as she sat in silence. Aang was so naïve in this, he'd try and stop one of Akira's plans and probably end up dead. It was truly incredible that she could still care this much about him after everything he'd put her through. Note the heavy sarcasm.

Finally, with a sigh, Toph nodded her head, "You're right. We can't give up. Do either of you have any plans?" She asked, looking at the both of them, Tomoe speaking up from the spot beside Ohiyo.

"First, we should probably put that shoulder of yours back into place… We don't want to end up in a brawl and have you become even more injured." He pointed out, Ohiyo nodding in agreement.

"Tomoe's right, you'll be much more helpful if you have use of both of your arms."

Frowning, it took Toph a second to consider their response as she debated on whether or not she thought it was worth it. Finally sighing in defeat, Toph nodded, "Fine, but try not to make it hurt too much." She begged, wanting to hit them both when she heard a snicker.

"Don't worry, I won't." Ohiyo answered with a roll of his eyes, standing up as he headed over to sit next to her.

Toph looked at him warily, "Have you ever done this before?"

Ohiyo thought about it, "Uh, no, but I've seen it done quite a few times. Can't be too difficult, am I right?" He grinned, and Tomoe facepalmed from where he sat on the ground still.

"You've got to be joking." The ex-guard said, looking at the general incredulously. "How many times have you been in battle? Shouldn't it be a given that you'd know how to do a simple medical procedure like this one?" He asked, pursing his lips as he crossed his arms.

Ohiyo pouted, glaring at the man indignantly, "I don't see you helping anyone, _elite guard. _I mean, what exactly qualifies you to be elite if you can't do a _simple medical procedure _like this one?" He retorted, and Tomoe simply averted his eyes as he mumbled something under his breath.

Toph glowered at the two of them, "Will you two morons shut up already?! Ohiyo, hurry up and fix my stupid arm and get back on your side of the wall so I don't have to hear your arguing anymore!" She ordered, and the generals eyes widened as he nodded quickly.

"Yes ma'am!" he practically saluted as he prepared to pop her shoulder into place, hands resting gently on her arm. Before she could make a retort, he jerked his hands up and a flash of pain incapacitated her as she yelped, bending over in pain as she gripped her arm to her. As soon as it started though, it was gone, only a fraction of pain still remaining as it pulsed in her arm.

Ohiyo's arm was on her back as he watched her with concern, waiting until she sat back up before speaking, "You alright?" He asked, obviously worried he had done something wrong.

Toph gave him the evil eye, "I am now. I could've done without all of the pain though." She scolded, causing him to grin sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Right, sorry about that. Can't be helped though, it always hurts to put something back into place." He explained apologetically, and Toph simply hmphed in response.

His hand remained on her back for a second, as if he was still comforting her, and it took him a moment to realize it before he quickly jerked his hand away, face burning as he immediately moved to his previous spot. Toph blinked after him in confusion, not really minding the fact that he had left his hand a bit too long. It felt good to feel someone care about her, and for just a second she felt secure again.

Shaking her head, she forced those negative thoughts from her mind. She was just lonely and upset after Aang, and she didn't need to go replacing him any time soon. She didn't need a rebound… She would get through this alone, like the strong, earthbending woman she was. Frowning at herself as she realized how pathetic her pep talk sounded, she finally realized that Tomoe and Ohiyo were currently having some kind of conversation about whatever the subject was.

Not understanding it, she simply drowned them out by lying herself out on the floor, closing her eyes as she focused on even the tiniest movements as they glided across the ground.

Aang followed after Akira, discussing politics with him as he was led through the castle. The Avatar had grown bored ages ago, but he couldn't risk missing out on a vital piece of information because he was 'bored'. He was the Avatar, boredom came with the job.

In a moment, he found himself on the balcony where he and Toph had first heard the news of Zuko and Katara's engagement. Blinking in surprise, Aang followed Akira as he moved to look over the railing of the balcony. He simply enjoyed the view as he saw the sun beginning to set on the horizon, and it took him a moment to figure out that it wasn't the view that Akira was interested in.

Below them, riding across the ground on ostrich-horses as they moved in the direction of the cliffs, the place where most people would go to hide. Aang's blood chilled as he watched them, and felt a chill as he realized that Akira was studying his reaction carefully. "Something wrong, Avatar? I've sent my men to apprehend the traitors, I hope you don't mind." He said with the hint of a smirk, and Aang had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something in return.

"No, of course not. I would do the same." He answered with an easy smile before turning back to the soldiers, watching them with a sense of dread.


End file.
